Separable fastener for fabrics and coverings



Feb. 18, 1941. A. ILLSCHE 2,232,533

SEPARABLE FASTENER FOR FABRICS AND COVERINGS Filed Feb. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 18, 19 41. A. ILIJSCHE. 2,232,533

SEPARABLE FASTENER FOR FABRICS AND CQVERINGS Filed Feb. 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2' '1 W (x i ATT RNEY Patented Feb. 18, 1941 PATENT OFFICE SEPARABLE FASTENERFOR FABRICS AND GQVERINGS Arthur Illsche, Rye, N. Y. Application February 2a, 1939, Serial No. 257,955

4 Claims.

The invention relates to fasteners for removably securing fabrics in position for use, par;- .ticularly where the use is such as to makeremoval of the fabrics, at more or less frequent intervals, desirable or necessary;

While the invention may be readily'adapted for various uses, other than above mentioned, as

will be evident, it will not be necessary, for present purposes, to extend thedisclosure to all such and the showing herein will accordingly be limited to a typical illustrative embodiment, suittation through less than a complete revolution,

able for general use and herein employed for removably securing covering (fabrics of the class likely to be roughed-up or displaced in use, such as slip covers, bed covers, rugs, carpets and the like, which must be detachablyheldtO permit ready removal at will.

As herein embodied, the fastener is of the multiple member type, certain members of which are separably associated in engaging relation by a screw-thread connection and are adapted to be thus engaged with a fabric interposed without puncture, between them. The engaged portions of the members, which carry the screw-threads, are of frustro-conical form to-accommodate fabrics of different thickness. The screw-thread does not, ordinarily, exceed two turns and engagement and disengagement are effected by roowing to the frustro-conical form given the threaded portions of the members. The taper permits free entrance of one into the other, to almost their full depth, preparatory to engagement and it then only requires a partial turn clockwise, to fully interlock the members. To prevent accidental disengagement, by being worked loose and given counterclockwise rotation by the pull or strain of the fabric, a swivel mount-- ing is provided which enables the engaged members to rotate together, in either direction under the pull of the fabric, with such freedom, that any and all tendency of the members towards independent rotation that would eventually result in disengagement, is practically eliminated. As a check on this free rotation, such as is required when the members are to be engaged or disengaged, a stop formation is employed to cooperate with one of the members and may bebrought into action at will, by pressing the members together while one is screwed into or unscrewed from the other. Upon the pressure being removed, the stop is automatically disengaged, preferably by spring action, and the member with which it cooperates, is released for free rotation in either direction.

Other features of the invention not specially mentioned above, will be brought to attention, in the detail description that follows.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a practical embodiment of the invention and a 'slight modification but point out with referenceto the constructions shown, that no limitations upon the invention are intended other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view, showing the fastener and the manner in which it is employed to removablysecure a covering fabric in position for use.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the stop brought into action by pressure on the upper fastener member checking rotation of the lower fastener member, to permit independent rotation of the upper member, as required for either en-' gagement or disengagement thereof.

Fig. 3' is an exploded view of the Fig. 1 as- H sembly.

Fig. 4 1st detail view in plan of the upper side Fig. 7 illustrates a slightly modified form of U the swivel mounting and stop formation, the base plate and female member being shown in perspective in separated relation, and

Fig. 8 is afragmentary sectional View, showing the base plate and female member assembled.

Referring now to the drawings, the fastener shown, consists-of a male member I and a female member 2, both of which are preferably shaped up from sheet metal but may be molded or otherwise formed, if desired. I

Centrally of the disk body 3, of each member, a frustro-conical projection 4 is formed. 'I'hese projections are relatively proportioned to fit one Within the other in nested relation, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The frustro-conical projections of the members are screw-threaded, as indicated at 5, for interlocking engagement. The thread is of coarse pitch and preferably of the ratchet type. Ordiabout half a turn clockwise, complete interlocking engagement of the members is effected.

The fastener members are designed to enter into engagement one with the other through the fabric 6 to be secured by them. The fabric is interposed without puncture between the members and may be a slip cover, bed cover, rug, carpet or the like, to the different thicknesses of which the fastener adapts itself by the self-adjusting action of the frustro-conical engaging "portions of the members.

To prevent accidental disengagement of the fastener members by reverse or counterclockwise rotation, resulting from the pull, tug or strain of the fabric, a swivel mounting is provided for the female member, which permits free rotation thereof in either direction, enabling the female member to turn with and follow the movement of the male member and in thus checking independent rotation of either member, accidental disengagement is avoided.

The swivel mounting consists of a base plate 1, designed to be let in flush and secured fast, by screws or otherwise, to the frame of a chair or bed orv a floor, as indicated at l in Figs. 1 and 2. The base I may be in the form of a disk, a square or rectangular plate or given any other shape preferred] It is depressed centrally at 8, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive and Fig. 5, or may be provided with a central opening B as in Figs. 7 and 8, to accommodate the frustro-conical threaded portion of the female member 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 This member is swiveled to the base plate by hooklike projections 9, from the plate, entering an annular groove I0, formed by the turned-under peripheral edge Ill of the member.

In the form of the fastener shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the female member is yieldingly held spaced slightly away from the base plate by spring tongues ll, formed by partial cut-outs from the plate, to permit limited axial movement of the member towards the base plate, against the action of the spring tongues II. This axial movement of the female member towards the base plate, which is imparted to it by pressure on the male member, causes the hooklike projections 9 of the'base plate, to enter openings l'2, formed directly above them in the member 2, as shown in Fig. 2, and serves 'to hold the member 2 against rotation in either direction, while the male member is rotated to engage or disengage the'same. Discontinuing the pressure upon the male member, permits the springs to act and move the female member upward far enough to withdraw the stop hooks 9, of the base plate from theopenings l2 in the member, thereby. releasing the same for free rotation.

In' the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the springs for yieldingly holding the female member separated from the base plate, are omitted, as the pull or strain of the fabric will tend to maintain these .parts in the required relation for free rotation of the member.

The central depression of the base plate is also omitted and a through opening 8 substituted to accommodate the frustro-conical projection of the female member, which is housed in a recess formed in the frame of a chair, bed or floor, as shown in Fig. 8.

The edge portion of the opening '3 is bent up andt'urne'd over, 'forming' an annular flange 8 which has radially disposed ribs or' corrugations 8, formed therein, designed to cooperate with corresponding ribs or corrugations l2 of the female member, to hold the latter against rotation, when pressure is applied to the male mem ber to engage or disengage the same, as above described. The annular flange 8 of the base plate projects into the annular peripheral groove of the female member to form the swivel connection-between the member and the plate, as above described and, excepting the differences mentioned, the twoconstructions are substantially similar.

As the" many important advantages of the fastener will be apparent from the foregoing description, it will not be necessary to list and elaborate the same beyond pointing out the ready adaptability of the device, without material change or modification, to serve many purposes ther than herein mentioned.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A fastener comprising three associated members including an upper member, a lower member and an intermediate member, the intermediate member and the lower member being permanently connected in selected swiveling relation to define a swiveling unit, said upper member and said intermediate member having complemental screw-threaded engaging means for releasably securing a fabric therebetween, means in the swiveling unit to maintain its members in swiveling relation and stop means also located in said unit to selectively prevent swiveling of the members whereby a fabric may be secured between the upper and intermediate members or released therefrom by a relative rotation thereof.

2. A fastener as defined in claim 1, in which the fastener members are provided with engaging portions of frustro-conical form to accommodate fabrics of different thickness interposed without puncture between them.

3. A fastener as defined in claim 1, in which the stop means are normally held disengaged by spring tongues integral with and struck up from the lower member of the fastener.

4. A fastener as defined in claim 1, in which the stop means consists of co-operating elements, normally held disengaged by springs and engage able against the action of the springs by axial movement of the intermediate fastener member.

ARTHUR ILLSCHE. 

